Emma Rönnholm: Evocation

The piece features shadow puppets, reflective foil, and small spot lights placed behind screens of light, semi-transparent plastic. All the elements are set in motion by the air moving through the space. Shadows appear and disappear. The foil crackles and the plastic whispers.  Movements are either slow and meditative or fast and furious, depending on the wind. 

Evocation was made for the very particular conditions on Suomenlinna fortress island in November. It was displayed in a semi-open cellar from the 19th century, where the wind would freely blow through the space. Outside it was pitch dark. In the installation, the domed galleries of the cellar are covered by a very light, translucent plastic (Finnish: suojamuovi). Behind this screen is a reflective aluminum foil, illuminated with small spot lights. Between the foil and the plastic screen are silhouettes of figures resembling indonesian shadow puppets or cave paintings. As the viewer moves through the dark space, the shifting perspective of the viewer as well as the movements of the various materials creates an ever changing spectacle of light patterns and figures appearing and disappearing. The piece is inspired by early cinema, illusions and rituals and how we human beings perceive and interpret visual information.

Title in Finnish: Takauma
Title in Swedish: Framkallning